THE HEIR'S AGONY TRIAL BY FIRE

shadows

The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm, golden light over the small town streets. Aidan sat on the front steps of the house, Clara’s warnings echoing in his mind. He had never seen her so shaken, her fear so palpable. The note, the photograph, the shadowy figure from the night before—all of it felt like pieces of a puzzle he wasn’t sure he wanted to complete.

As a child, Aidan had grown used to being unseen and unheard. He had learned to navigate a world that seemed indifferent to his existence. The mocking laughter of his classmates still lingered in his memory, a sharp reminder of his inability to fit into their world of privilege.

---

At school, Aidan had been the perpetual outsider. His tattered clothes and shy demeanor made him an easy target. His shoes, with their worn-out soles and patched sides, drew cruel comments from his peers.

“Hey, Aidan,” a boy named Caleb had sneered one day, pointing at his feet. “Did you get those from the garbage dump, or did they just fall apart on your way to school?”

The group around Caleb erupted into laughter, and Aidan had done what he always did—lowered his head and walked away. But the words stayed with him, stinging long after the moment had passed.

It wasn’t just the taunts that hurt; it was the isolation. While the other kids played and formed friendships, Aidan had sat alone, his nose buried in books he borrowed from the library. He had a brilliant mind, one that could solve puzzles and dream up ideas far beyond his years, but it only served to make him more of an outcast.

The school had been a battleground, but it had also been a training ground. It taught Aidan how to endure, how to survive without breaking. And now, as he faced the growing storm surrounding his past, those lessons felt more valuable than ever.

---

That evening, Aidan decided he couldn’t ignore the lead from the mysterious text. Victor Kane’s widow might hold the key to unraveling the truth about William and the Cross family. He waited until Clara went to bed, her door firmly shut, and then slipped out of the house.

The walk to Elm Street was quiet, the streets bathed in the dim glow of streetlights. Aidan couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, his nerves on edge with every shadow that moved in the corner of his vision.

When he reached 34 Elm Street, he hesitated. The house was old but well-kept, with a neatly trimmed lawn and flowers lining the walkway. It didn’t look like the home of someone harboring dark secrets.

Aidan took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A few moments later, it opened slightly, and a woman peered out. Her face was lined with age, her eyes sharp and wary.

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice cautious.

“My name is Aidan,” he said, trying to keep his tone steady. “I need to talk to you about Victor Kane.”

The woman’s expression darkened, and she started to close the door. “I don’t talk about Victor. Go away.”

“Wait!” Aidan said, placing his hand on the door. “Please, I’m not here to cause trouble. I just need to understand what happened to him—and how it’s connected to the Cross family.”

At the mention of the Cross family, the woman froze. She studied Aidan for a long moment before sighing and opening the door wider.

“Come in,” she said.

---

Inside, the house was cozy but filled with a sense of lingering sadness. Photos of Victor Kane lined the walls, a testament to the life he had once shared with his wife.

“My name is Margaret,” the woman said, gesturing for Aidan to sit. “If you’re asking about the Cross family, you’re either very brave or very foolish.”

“Maybe a bit of both,” Aidan admitted.

Margaret smiled faintly, but her expression quickly turned serious. “Victor was a good man. Too good for the world he got involved in. He worked for the Cross family for years, managing their finances. But when he found out about some… questionable dealings, he confronted them.”

“What happened?” Aidan asked, leaning forward.

“They silenced him,” Margaret said, her voice trembling. “Victor disappeared after a party at their estate. The police ruled it a missing person case, but I know they had something to do with it. He was getting too close to exposing their secrets.”

Aidan felt a chill run down his spine. “Did you ever find out what those secrets were?”

Margaret shook her head. “No. But Victor left behind a journal, one he hid before he vanished. I’ve never been able to find it, but I believe it holds the answers you’re looking for.”

Aidan’s mind raced. A journal with evidence against the Cross family could be the breakthrough he needed.

“Do you have any idea where he might have hidden it?” he asked.

Margaret hesitated before replying. “Victor used to spend a lot of time at an old cabin we owned in the woods. If he hid the journal anywhere, it would be there.”

---

Aidan left Margaret’s house with a new sense of purpose—and a gnawing sense of dread. The Cross family had already shown they were willing to go to great lengths to protect their secrets. If they knew he was digging into their past, they wouldn’t hesitate to come after him.

As he walked back home, the shadows seemed darker, the silence heavier. Every rustle of leaves or distant footstep made his pulse quicken.

When he finally reached the house, he paused outside the door. His hand froze on the doorknob as he noticed something was off. The curtains in the living room were drawn tightly shut—Clara never did that.

Aidan pushed the door open cautiously, his heart pounding. The house was eerily quiet, the only sound the creak of the floorboards beneath his feet.

“Mom?” he called out, his voice barely above a whisper.

There was no response.

He stepped into the living room and froze. The furniture was overturned, papers scattered across the floor. Aidan’s gaze fell on the coffee table, where the mysterious note had been. It was gone.

Panic set in as he rushed to Clara’s room. The door was ajar, the light spilling out into the hallway. He pushed it open and found the room empty.

On the bed lay a single sheet of paper, folded neatly. Aidan unfolded it with trembling hands.

The note read: “You’ve been warned. This is your last chance to stop.”

Aidan’s phone buzzed in his pocket. The message was from the same unknown number as before: “You’re not the only one being watched.”